The Custom Bikes of Grinduro Scotland: Clandestine, Ted James, Spoon Customs, and The Bicycle Academy – Jack Watney & Adam Gasson | The Radavist | A group of individuals who share a love of cycling and the outdoors.

Words by Jack Watney, photos by Adam Gasson

Grinduro Frame Builder Event Format

The Bicycle Academy (TBA) put the Grinduro Scotland frame builder competition format together 3 years ago as a way of creating a platform for frame builders to showcase what they do. It’s an opportunity for builders to work to a tight brief, but at the same time to be playful and creative with bike design. They get to make their own idea of a perfect bike, to keep for themselves, something that doesn’t happen as often as you might think.

Each year TBA selects between 3 and 5 exciting custom frame builders to create a collection of exciting and unique bikes, their own idea of ‘the perfect grinduro bike’. We also work very closely with some of the very best component makers who sponsor the build-off, without their support this part of the Grinduro event simply wouldn’t be possible.

The goal is to create a range of different and exciting bikes that showcase to the masses the fact that steel frame building doesn’t just mean lugs and horizontal top tubes. If we do a good job then we display a broad range of bikes that resonate with the broad range of riders at the event (one of the few events which sees people entering on completely different types of bikes), and everyone gets to have a great time!

In previous years we’ve had the pleasure of working with the likes of Ricky Feather (Feather Cycles), Adeline O’Moreau (Mecridi Bikes), Tom Donhou (Donhou Cycles) and (Field Cycles to name just a few. This year we selected Pi Manson (Clandestine), Andy Carr (Spoon Customs) and Ted James (Ted James DEsigns) to build alongside us at The Bicycle Academy.

Pi is an up and coming builder known for his no-nonsense approach to bike design and build. Specialising in making well considered work horses, utility dreamboats and award winning touring bikes.

Andy is a bike and paint designing whirlwind. Creating Spoon Customs as a way of making his own idea of the very best bikes in the world, Andy conceives of and oversees the creation of award winning and stunning road bikes.

Ted is basically the man we all wish we could be. His take on bicycle design and fabrication is like no other, but in a good way. A really really good way. Known for his BMX x (whatever bike he’s making) mash ups, creative mad max spin, and ridiculous riding style.

Finally TBA decided to bring up the rear, rarely getting the opportunity to build under our collective banner. Like an awesome and fun venn diagram we’ve got a really wide range of skills and talents that make us way more capable together than as individuals.

Grinduro Frame Builder Event Partners

We’re lucky enough to receive sponsorship and support in the form of products from some of the very best bicycle component brands in the business. Having the pick of products from companies like this is a dream come true and makes all the difference.

Sponsors

The Bicycle Academy – Concept and organisation

Columbus – Steel tubing and carbon forks

Hope Technology – Everything from Wheels, Brakes, BB’s, Headsets, Cranks, Chainrings, Cassettes, carbon Seatposts and more!

Maxxis – Tires

Fabric – Saddles, bottles and grips

Supporters

Shimano Europe – Remaining drivetrain

Ritchey – Finishing kit

Fox – Suspension fork

Cannondale – Suspension fork

Giro – Helmets

Rapha – Riding kit

Ted James Designs

Bike category : Adventure MTB

Bike name : ‘RAD Roamer’

Company name : Ted James Designs

Builder name : Ted James

Location : Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK

Website : www.tedjamesdesign.com

Instagram : @tedjamesdesign

Full bike geometry

-29” wheels
-100mm travel sus fork
-40mm bb drop
-420mm chainstays
-67 degree headangle
-73 deg effective seat angle
-12.5 degree backsweep bars + good rise

Frame spec

–Columbus spirit/life main tubes
–Columbus zona stays
–Custom curved butted toptube and seatstays
–Columbus tapered headtube for external headset
–148x12mm bolt through TJD dropouts
–Wishbone seatstay

Bosses in frame for custom frame bag

Component list

–Hope 29er fortus 26 pro 4 boost wheels
–Hope 10-42 cassette
–Hope cranks, direct mount ring & BB
–Hope flat pedals
–Hope tapered external headset
–Hope Tech 3 X2 brakes
–Hope floating rotors
–Hope integrated shifter mount
–Hope qr seat clamp + extra Allen clamp for copy hite rite
–Fox 36 Factory fork shortened to 100mm travel
–Maxxis Ikon 2.2” skinwall tyres
–Fabric Scoop Ti saddle
–Fabric Grinduro Gripper bottles
–Fabric silicone bar wrap with added padding creating oval ergo shape
–Silca Titanium bottle cages custom anodised two tone with matching bolts
–Shimano XT 11spd shifter and clutch mech & chain
–TJD custom split stem and riser bar 12.5 degree backsweep
–TJD Custom Titanium Copy Hite Rite anodised two tone with bottle cages

TJD custom bolt in frame bag with eyeball and Columbus patches

Why did you say yes to taking part in the Grinduro frame builders competition?

How could I say no to such an amazing opportunity, the event was unbelievable, so much fun , I met loads of great people. I got to show off this amazing bike which when the sponsors are so generous you can do nothing but go all out with the ideas and work put in.

What kind of riding is the bike for?

The bike is for riding comfortably over a distance, quickly whilst being able to shred and pull stunts too.

How did you design the bike?

I wanted the bike to be fast like an xc bike, comfortable like an adventure/tourer and flickable/chuckable like a bmx. It’s a lot to ask but it works.

The 29er wheels roll fast especially with the 2.2 Maxxis Ikon tyres

67 deg head angle with 100mm burly Fox 36 fork makes it smash down any trail whilst still keeping it nimble.

The Columbus butted spirit/life is super light and I chose it fairly skinny to keep flexibility for comfort whilst the extra tube and curved toptube gives bracing from the forces of hard shredding.

The bar/stem, making the bars from 7/8” straight guage tube means I can do custom rise and backsweep, I like having more backsweep than most mtb bars , these are the same as my Bmx at 12.5 deg so works for stunting well and is very comfortable for all day riding. With more backsweep a longer stem puts the hand position at the same distance. The split stem gives the stiffness around the clamp area of this 7/8” bar that you would usually get from an oversize bar.

These bars are 870mm wide! Cos I just bent some tube, stuck them on and didn’t think it was too wide. I went for quite high rise as I was going for more fun and comfort than racing.

I made the frame in the cruiser style like an old schwinn mainly to be a bit different but I’ve found the design to work really well for what I want it to do. I decided it needed a frame bag like the old tin boxes they had my sewing machine is broken so I glued together this one that bolts into the frame to keep it neat and carry the things you need on a longer ride.

I’d had ideas about making a Titanium hite rite for a while and this was the perfect opportunity, Titanium to keep it light and being able to anodise it is a radded bonus.

What’s behind the paint scheme?

I made the paint scheme with the Grinduro colours . Everyone likes a fade and splatter right!

Why did you spec it out the way that you did?

It’s so lucky to be able to spec the bike with such awesome kit from the sponsors.

I went for the Hope brakes with single pot callipers because I’ve always found them great and keeps the weight down, the adjustable levers for adjustment on the fly and they are strong clamps for when you come off and hit them.

Flat pedals over clipless because I knew I’d want to be playing around as it’s a party vibe, I found these Hope’s grip soo well!

Fox 36 because they’re real light for being so burly and the way I ride, burlier the better!

Fabric silicone bar wrap as I like skinny grips and with this I can build layers of tape underneath to create the shape I want.

How did the bike ride it at the event?

The bike performed as I had expected but even better. I would’ve been quicker on the climbs wit-h a lower bar and bb but the bar height and bb being not so low really made it AMAZING on the downhill sections and the rest of the time.

Do you have any other plans for the bike?

This is a dream bike for me and I’ll be using it all the time , I’ve already done the work commute so much faster than my longer/slacker mtb, it’ll be great for doing the local xc blasts on it. I’m really looking forward to talking it on some trips to combine some bikepacking, spotfinding and stunting.

What are the best and toughest bits about building for and riding in the event?

It all looks lovely but there’s so much hard work that goes in to make it work , from all the organisers and sponsors making sure it all comes together, to us builders who have to come up with our best work in extra hours in limited time. After all that it’s so unbelievable to have this amazing creation and go show it off and ride it at an incredible event.

What surprised you most about the experience?

I had wanted to get a train and cycle over from Glasgow staying longer with just what I could carry but time got short! I worked nights all week then Thursday night I finished the bike at 3am and drove 7 hours to Ardrossan where I left the car and joined everyone for the ferry ride over

What will be your lasting memory of the whole experience?

I’m still recovering from the lack of sleep and struggling to process it all, it was all so rad. There are a good few strong memories, views, smashing it down too fast to see! The whiskey! The feed station with cycle cafe! Meeting so many people! I’m really looking forward to doing Grinduro again, and in the meantime riding this dream bike!

Clandestine

Bike category: Adventure Touring

Bike name: ‘Caledonian Carrier

Company name : Clandestine

Builder name : Pi Manson

Location : Bristol, UK

Website : www.clandestine.cc

Instagram : @clandestine.cc

Full bike geometry

–570mm seat C-T
–585mm effective top
–440mm chain stays
–70mm BB drop
–72deg head
–73deg seat
–60mm fork rake
–60mm stem

Frame spec

–Columbus Zona with Cromor seat stays
–68mm BSA BB
–1 1/8th” headtube
–100×15 and 142×12 through axles
–IS disk mounts

Component list

–Clandestine stem
–Clandestine front rack with mounts for removable lowriders, rear Carradice bag support
–Clandestine brass top cap
–Hope headset
–Hope BB, cranks and 34t chainring, F20 pedals
–Hope Fortus 26 wheels, with an SP dynamo front hub
–Shimano XT M8000 groupset, with 4pot brakes and an 11-40 XTR cassette
–Ritchey WCS seat post
–Jones bend bars
–Fabric Funguy grips, Silicone bar tape, and Scoop Race saddle
–Fabric tool keg and cageless bottles
–Supernova dynamo lights
–Maxxis Ikon 2.35” tyres

Why did you say yes to taking part in the Grinduro frame builders competition?

I feel like it’s not every day you get an opportunity to see how different builders approach the same problem. I felt so honoured to be asked to offer up my own interpretation of the ideal Grinduro bike, so of course I said yes when Andrew Denham gave me the call. I was stoked with how different all the builder’s bikes were, just radically varied ideas, and all so reflective of their builders personalities and styles!

What kind of riding is the bike for?

I’ve always kind of looked at bikes as all purpose joy machines. I built this one to show another approach to “gravel” riding: less about smashing out the miles, more about comfortably carrying you and your stuff way out there and yet still be able to push it into rocky Arran switchbacks as required… It’s basically a rough stuff touring bike, with some old school mtb essence sprinkled in.

How did you design the bike?

I built the bike as a riff on my “off the peg” model, the Carrier. I designed it with longer stays than is fashionable right now, but with the long top tube and a bit higher trail than I usually build around, which makes for an efficient and stable bike. I almost always build around sloping top tubes, long head tubes, and my own high stack stems; and this bike is no different. The higher the bars, the closer to the sky, the more you are a bird. If you’re as uninterested in aero as I am, then there’s no downside to the bars being high. It’s more comfortable, and the wide, upright, open stance you are in is efficient and a good place to muscle the bike through the rough.

I basically build bikes so I can build racks, so I made the porteur rack, and it has mounts for removable lowriders which I ran out of time to build before Grinduro… It has internal routing for the dynamo lights, and the rear Carradice bag support has a light mount so you’ve always got safe lighting whatever your load. Like on all my bikes, the fillets are left unfiled. I believe in being truthful about the materials, showing the process.

What’s behind the paint scheme?

I always use powder coats: unapologetic pragmatism. Also, they’re amazing nowadays, the colour pops in the sun like a Brit in the Costa del Sol.

Why did you spec it out the way that you did?

I like my bikes simple, reliable and low geared. The Hope cranks are awesome with the direct mount chainring for low 1x gearing. All the Hope stuff is just pure techy gold, there’s a reason every mountain biker in the UK uses their stuff, it’s so reliable. The Maxxis Ikons are awesome, and just at my own personal sweet spot between fat and fast. I made a wire mesh to protect the front light like old rally cars, because they rode gravel I think?

How did the bike ride it at the event?

I think it’s fair to say that racing ain’t really my thing, and my bike reflects that. On the road sections, Andy and Tom just pulled away from me as they went all roadie and got their tuck on. But my bike had it’s own strengths. It was stage 3 I think that had this really long draggy fireroad climb, and my low gears and comfortable position meant I was just spinning past people with more racy bikes. Also, I totally nailed that really rough rocky switchback single track descent, wide upright posture and my mountain biker’s wits. Miles slower than Ted though I bet! I think the main place my bike really showed it’s chops was when I pulled out a thermos of tea to share. That’s the beauty of racks and bags right there if you ask me.

Do you have any other plans for the bike?

I’m gonna pawn it onto on anyone who comes by my workshop and thinks they want their bars low. But mostly though Grinduro has got me totally stoked on getting out of my workshop more and bouncing down my local fire roads and byways on it.

What are the best and toughest bits about building for and riding in the event?

The hardest thing about the whole event was the mad rush to get everything built in time to be painted and ready to ride. My powdercoater is a super cool hell’s angel looking motorbiker, but he still takes a couple of weeks to get a bike done. Obviously then the first thing I did when I got back from the painter’s was drop the stem and put a massive chip in it. That was annoying. It was clear straight away I needn’t have worried about Grinduro being all racey: I met so many awesome folk every kilometre of the ride, and loved getting whooped into sections by stoked riders. The whole thing was just mega, what a thrill. I’m still buzzing.

How did you get to the event?

The journey up to Arran is plenty long enough. My mate Tom did all the driving, in his massive yellow van, and that’s always the start of some good trips. I’ve taken a lot of ferries to Scottish islands in my time, and the old CalMac always fills me with excitement, so I kept that in mind when we were crawling down grim Birmingham flyovers. We saw a very lost looking bloke cycling down the hard shoulder on the M74 on the way, and that just cements why getting off the roads and onto the dirt is so good… I hope he was ok!

What will be your lasting memory of the whole experience?

Ted’s wild stories will stay with me long after my Grinduro-purple glittery nail varnish has chipped off, the midge bites have healed and the dust cleaned from my downtube. Don’t ask.

Spoon Customs

Bike category: Mostercross

Bike name : ‘Fat Tracker’

Company name : Spoon Customs

Builder name : Andy Carr

Location : Brighton, Sussex, UK

Website : www.spooncustoms.com

Instagram : @spooncustoms

Full bike geometry

–70 Head angle
–73.5 Seat angle
–560mm Stack
–416mm Reach
–435mm chain stay
–54mm BB drop

Frame spec

–Tapered Steerer Columbus CX fork – with switchable rake. 47/52mm. 12 TA.
–44mm HT with reinforcement rings
–Columbus Life and Zona main frame tubing. OS Zona DT.
–Zona MTB double bend stays
–142 x 12 TA dropouts

Component list

–Ritchey WCS bar, stem and seat post. 7 degree flare on handlebar.
–Hope Cranks, with direct mount 36 tooth NW chainring, and matching 68mm BSA BB.
–KMC SL 11 Chain
–Hope head bearing
–Hope seatclamp
–Fabric Saddle, tape and bottle cages/mounts
–Ultegra RX shifting and hydro levers
–Hope RX4 calipers with 160mm discsr
–Hope Fortus 23 27.5 rims, built on to Hope Pro4 Hubs
–Maxxis Ardent Race 2.2 tubeless

Why did you say yes to taking part in the grinduro frame builders competition?

We build exquisitely fabricated road bikes. We test and obsess about details, and never put anything out quickly so the opportunity to build something so lairy, designed on the back of a beermat, and test ideas outside of our comfort zone was too much to resist. The parts list offered by the sponsors and opportunity to go nuts on the paint was a no-brainer.

What kind of riding is the bike for, and how did you design the bike?

The Spoon Customs Fat Tracker is a whacky races monster cross designed to help a real world road rider get off road and make the most of Grinduro.

The geo, more like a nineties MTB than a modern hardtail is designed for smashing rooted single track and open gravel.

The relatively long wheelbase and rear end is suited to stable fast descending on loose surfaces and fire trails, despite the high BB which assists in avoiding pedal strike or grounding out when the trail is more technical. The length and height combined with laid back geo gives it a steamroller vibe up on the flat and traction engine torque up hill. On lumpier stuff there’s no need to execute expert hops or manual through, ideal with a road focused rider on board. Fat tyres and wider flared drop bars give added control when the trail gets tricky.

We normally ride in the Alps – all of our designs are inspired by that predominantly road environment, even our Finestre Gravel bike platform. This project was therefore a total experiment, led by the ‘monster cross’ brief and ultimately based loosely on a 1997 Zaskar. The trails at Grinduro aren’t technical enough to worry about snappy changes in direction and the handling common to modern mountain bikes, so I went back in time, and the long wheelbase and rear end aided stability and traction in most areas of the course.

Our fabrication and components are usually all italian so the sponsors and component spec’ for this project was all new and just kid in a sweet shop stuff. WCS flags on the finishing kit, and Hope four pots and as much race spec’ parts as I could cram on. Functionally on the day it was flawless, and the four pot brakes were like bringing a shotgun to a knife fight, such was their performance everywhere.

Generally the bike smashed everything. On the road sections it felt lively and not at all slow, aided by the central knobs on the massive Ardent Race tyres which were quiet and free-rolling on the road, despite their size. It flattered my efforts, and literally ploughed through the tricky bits. It also climbs nicely and feels lively enough on the road.

I didn’t have time to add any braze ons for racks or mudguards, but I’ll be talking to Restrap about kitting it out with some saddle and bar packs and going bike packing on it a few times before the end of the summer season. It feels great on all sorts of trails and single track, so I’m going to use it as much as possible and try to develop it further. It’s properly fun, and feels bomb proof, but retains good manners and makes easy progress on the road, so it’s not got many limits really. I can’t wait to try it with 700c and skinny tyres, and try to find an optimum set up for it.

What’s behind the paint scheme?

A whacky racer Monster cross needs a monster truck racing car paint job. What we ended up with is a scalextric car mixed with a flat tracker, half mountain bike, half road bike. The front splitter of the air dam on the famous Jag’s is picked up in the green on the inside of the fork, and the sponsor logos on the cars skirts line out the chain stays on the SC Fat Tracker. The Silk Cut purple is so nearly Grinduro, so I had SC’s regular paint ninja Sam Weeks mixed up a metallic purple for this one that sits bang in between.

Why did you say yes to taking part in the grinduro frame builders competition?

What are the best and toughest bits about building for and riding in the event?

We take our time developing and designing bikes to the highest standards in the hand built game, so that every bike we make works flawlessly and is competitive against the modern plastic stuff. This project allowed no time for that process, and it was really freeing to just come up with a concept, build it out and go race it within a two week window. The toughest bit was letting go of that process and trusting instincts so that we could put something imperfect out and still be proud of it in that impossibly tight time frame.

I’ve been obsessed with Hope components since I was a kid. Who isn’t? Hope kindly allowed me access to their workshop on the way to the race. Without them the bike would never have been ready on time, and it was a dream come true to even walk in there, let alone have the support and assistance we got from their mechanics to get the final build done and well set up in time for the race. Thanks also have to go to The Bicycle Academy and BTR Fabrications who helped from the start of the build, and Lee Cooper who finished the flat mount rear end when I’d run out of bench time.

What surprised you most about the experience?

The atmosphere and the landscape is phenomenal, completely unique in my road riding context. Riding with mates, in such an incredible setting, rolling casually round a big course with pro riders and the public, in between frantic timed stages.

What will be your lasting memory of the whole experience?

Cycling for me is always going to be about getting rad with your mates. Just like it was when we were kids. I try to capture that first bike magic with every bike we make, and this event – with all it’s laughs, skids, wheelies and bonkers bikes – embodied and validated my pursuit of that vibe more than any other event I’ve been to. It was literally just messing about with mates, and more riding (and events) could learn a lot from the vibe at Grinduro.

The Bicycle Academy #1

Bike category : Gravel

Bike name : ‘Splat Grav’

Company name : The Bicycle Academy

Builder name : Tom Sturdy

Rider Name : Will Barcode

Location : Frome, Somerset

Website : www.thebicycleacademy.org

Instagram : @thebicycleacademy

Full bike geometry

–Wheelbase 104mm
–Effective chainstay 414mm (420actual)
–Front center 631mm
–BB drop 70mm
–Head angle 72
–Trail 57mm
–Seat angle 73
–Reach 411
–Stack 570

Frame spec

–Columbus zona seat tube seatstays and chainstays, Columbus spirit top tube and down tube
– T47 BB
–142×12 rear axle
–700*48c max tyre
–Full internal routing

Component list

–Columbus futura cross fork
–Shimano GRX derailleur
–Ultegra levers
–Hope cranks, cassette, brake calipers, seat post, headset, wheels
–Maxxis tyres
–Fabric saddle and grips
–Ritchey finishing kit
–Ceebear reduced spacer T47 BB

Why did you say yes to taking part in the Grinduro builders competition?

Gravel riding is such a rapidly growing part of cycling – working with frame design and concepts as the bikes rapidly evolve is pretty special. Gravel racing is such an important way of getting people out riding – both as a route into cycling and also for experts/pros pushing the boundaries.

What kind of riding is the bike for?

Mixed riding over rough tarmac and gravel roads, also capable on light singletrack and skids.

How did you design the bike?

The frame has generous tyre clearance without wandering too far from a road bike geometry. its wheelbase is a little longer for better directional stability at speed and over loose terrain. The front centre is long enough for good stability on steeper descents whilst the fork offset preserved the light, nimble steering feedback expected of a road bike. the short chianstays preserve good climbing performance and acceleration in tighter technical sections.

What’s behind the paint scheme?

We wanted to create an 80’s inspired 2 colour flick and splat paint vibe. Something that would really pop with the awesome purple Hope components. My lasting memory will be painting the bike with Tom Sturdy. Each of us prancing about in a car park whilst squirting and splatting decanted Spray.bike onto the frameset with a bike wash spray gun, completely yet inadvertently neutralising the others movements. Tom holding the frameset at arms length trying to spin everything around whilst avoiding wayward purple splats, and me ducking and diving as I tried to cover the whole thing ‘creatively’. For anyone watching I reckon we looked like Glastonbury drifters doing a shit piece of performance art.

Why did you spec it out the way that you did?

It was a no-brainer, first up it had to be purple anno, then we went with the lightest stuff we could get our hands on. Big range at the rear to make the short sharp stuff manageable, but a pretty racey geo to allow for some fire road performance. Full internal cable routing to keep things clean, 1x drivetrain to keep things tidy, contemporary and improve tyre clearance.

How did the bike ride it at the event?

It was great. Definitely better suited to classic grave, but comfortable, stiff enough without being harsh and really fast where it mattered. Won’t be searching out super technical rooty stuff anytime soon though.

Do you have any other plans for the bike?

Yeah, we’re going to use the bikes every day here at The Bicycle Academy for lunchtime rides. We’ll led them to students and we’ll loan them to some cool riders for some interesting events. They’ll likely be ridden every day!

What are the best and toughest bits about building for and riding in the event?

Really relaxed, really well organised, great fun. Rock up, great food, smash round on the bike, more great food, epic hills and lots of very chilled out people. For a non-specialist I felt I could have turned up on any bike and in any kit and have felt fully part of the event.

What are the best and toughest bits about building for and riding in the event?

Best bits – throwing a gravel bike across ground that I would never have thrown a road bike. Toughest bits – as an out-and-out roadie getting into the mindset of the just launching bikes into descents – these bikes will look after themselves. That combined with getting my head round maximising the bike performance – geometry, tire pressure, seat post height can all make such a difference.

What surprised you most about the experience?

How chilled the event was, how some people had traveled for days to get to Arran, how easy it was to get to Arran and how cheap ferries in Scotland are…. just booking ferry back there now…

What will be your lasting memory of the whole experience?

Cool bikes, great route, rod off a dropper post, tire pressures low, I need more food like that, great Rapha coffee, gravel people are chilled, need to get back to Arran.

The Bicycle Academy #2

Bike category : XC MTB

Bike name : ‘GXC’

Company name : The Bicycle Academy

Builder name : Tom Sturdy

Location : Frome, Somerset

Website : www.thebicycleacademy.org

Instagram : @thebicycleacademy

Full bike geometry

–Wheelbase 1154mm
–Effective chainstay 423mm (428 actual)
–Front center 733mm
–BB drop 63mm (sagged)
–Head angle 68mm (sagged)
–Trail 91mm (sagged)
–Seat angle 75 effective (73.5 actual)
–Reach 450mm (sagged)
–Stack 610mm (sagged)

Frame spec

Columbus zona down tube, seat tube and chain stays, Columbus spirit top tube and cromor seat stays

Component list

–Cannondale lefty ocho fork
–Hope brakes, cassette, chainset and wheels
–Shimano xt derailleur
–Maxxis tyres (ikon 2.1 rear, reckon race 2.2 front)
–Fabric saddle and grips
–Ritchey finishing kit, pedals and dropper post
–Ceebear reduced spacer T47 BB

Why did you say yes to taking part in the Grinduro frame builders competition?

It’s a great opportunity to build a bike and have an opportunity to test ideas first hand. It’s also great to get a chance to meet and ride with other builders doing the same thing to share some thoughts and ideas as well as just have fun.

What kind of riding is the bike for?

Fast cross country mountain bike for riding and racing over technical terrain.

How did you design the bike?

The frame is designed to be very stable to assist with carrying speed over mixed terrain. The bottom bracket is pretty low to lower the centre of mass of the bike and improve tipping stability. The wheelbase is long enough to maintain directional stability at speed without being excessively long for tight technical cornering. It has a relatively low stack height to improve climbing performance whilst the long front centre helps with weight distribution on steeper descents. The head angle is relatively slack compared to other bikes in its class so that a sensible trail value is maintained with the larger offset given by the lefty ocho fork. Skinny stays and main tubes so that the bike would be compliant in the corners. Flat mount disk mounts on the rear for a bit of future proofing, and finally fully internal routing to keep things tidy.

What’s behind the paint scheme?

We wanted to make a bike that looked like something that would have been sick in the 90’s. Long fades are always a winner and we embraced the chance to make something fun. Jason Rourke at Blue Whippet paintworks was a hero, painting the bike and turning it around in 24 hrs after a mix up with dates on our part. Legend.

Why did you spec it out the way that you did?

Andrew was really keen to design and build the bike around the Left Ocho fork. A product that’s a real opinion splitter but one that we were confident would perform really well. Once this piece of the puzzle was confirmed we were able to select everything else. Dropper to allow for getting RAD but carbon bars and lightweight wheels and tires to that it could skip over the fast stuff. 180mm Hope brake on the front to give even more confidence when descending at speed, and 1x drivetrain to keep things clean and contemporary.

How did the bike ride it at the event?

It was exceptionally good on the more technical sections; rooty/rocky singletrack. It also performed very well on the more technical climbs where I had great traction and control all the way up whilst riders around me were having to walk up some sections. It cornered so well at speed and was nimble on the slower stuff. Pretty proud of it to be honest.

Wasn’t efficient on the gravel linking sections where the wider tyres tended to drift over the top of the deep gravel rather than biting in. Judging by the placings it also seemed to be a bit slower on the pure gravel climbs than a gravel bike.

Do you have any other plans for the bike?

What are the best and toughest bits about building for and riding in the event.

The timeline was very tight and the bikes were still being finished as we were trying to leave for the event. But that’s all PART OF THE FUN! The event itself was also the longest period of time I have spent on a bike in a very long time so it was physically challenging from that point of view! It was also the first time I’d ridden a mountain bike in a very long time so I had a lot to get used to.

How did you get to the event?

A pretty funny road trip with two friends that couldn’t be more different!

What surprised you most about the experience?

I remembered how to ride a mountain bike and didn’t place too badly all things considered. I had so much fun, and felt very lucky to have experienced such a fun format with such good friends. The atmosphere is different to any race I’ve ever done before.

What will be your lasting memory of the whole experience?

The wonderful ride with beautiful views of the Island in perfect weather conditions. It was genuinely a privilege to be involved.